Under the Mask
by orudein
Summary: Chat Noir is dead, Ladybug is on her own. Who is the mysterious Vide who has begun killing akuma?
1. Prologue: The death of Chat Noir

**Disclaimer: so yea i don't own Miraculous: tales of ladybug and cat noir OR batman**

Prologue

"Where is she?" A gravelly voice intoned. "She won't make it in time if that's what you're asking, Hawkmoth."

Hawkmoth cursed under his breath he had wanted to kill Ladybug and Chat Noir not some nameless thugs. "Is there anything we can do?" He growled

"No, sir."

Elsewhere, a bloodied and broken Chat Noir struggled to walk, swaying slightly with each step. As he reached the door he collapsed. He crawled forward and reached up to claw at the handle, only to find it locked; he resolved to wait for Ladybug and hope his life didn't bleed out like his powers. Partially glazed eyes widened as they gazed across the warehouse where he was being held. In the corner a digital clock merrily ticked closer to zero.

Ladybug ran, faster than ever before; Chat Noir could be dead by the time she got there.

00:05

As the warehouse came into view she sped up.

00:04

She was getting close.

00:03

Five yards to the door.

00:02

"Goodbye, my lady." Chat whispered.

00:01

Ladybug reached for the door.

00:00

The warehouse was consumed by fire; The flames barely tasted Chat Noir as he slid down the throat of the inferno.

As the fire engines pulled up; Ladybug was still kneeling in the ashes, crying. Chat Noir was gone, and she hadn't been able to do anything about it.

In Hawkmoth's layer an angry cry was heard; a proclamation of vengeance on those who had taken his chance at killing Chat Noir.


	2. Chapter 1: the Vide

**Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous: "Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir" or "Batman: under the hood"**

 **CHAPTER ONE.**

 **-One year later-**

Chat Noir had been dead for a year; and Marinette still couldn't believe he was gone. The worst part was that the rest of Paris had just moved on. The day after his death there had been no school: people were shaken. Two days after his death, everyone in school was wearing black, mourning his death. Three after days after Chat Noir fell, Adrien Agreste was announced missing.

There had been searches of course but no one had found him. Eventually the gusto behind the searches died down and his disappearance was forgotten; just like Chat Noir's death.

Now one year later he was still missing, and while not yet legally deceased, most had lost hope. The akuma attacks had continued; but, there was less force behind them, as if Hawkmoth was giving her an adjustment period. The world had marched on, and left her reeling from Chat's the world needed Ladybug; so while Marinette was reeling, Ladybug had to be stoic. Today was one such day; that is to say, Ladybug was needed.

She didn't know the akuma victim, but that didn't lessen her obligation to help him. She ducked and whirled over his kicks and punches, as a blast of energy barely missing her head, she flipped over his shoulders and was about to grab the sunglasses that she was sure contained to akuma, when another blast of heat came from them; she dodged to the left and he grabbed her wrist . "miraculous" he growled "now". Her punch caught the akuma off guard and sent him reeling. He recovered quickly and moved forward forcing her back with optic blasts of heat. He had her cornered on the edge of a building and was closing in fast. She was in the process of reaching for her yo-yo when- *BLAM* *BLAM* *BLAM*. Ladybugs head snapped up. "wha-?" The akuma fell to his knees, eyes glazing. The dark butterfly began to flutter away. Ladybug looked around, and there he was; on a roof wearing a leather jacket, holding a rifle. A maliciously smiling Cheshire cat mask rested over his eyes, a green hood obscured his hair.

Even from this far away Ladybug could feel the aura of negative emotion that radiated off of the figure; the akuma was drawn in like a moth to a 's warning died in her mouth as the butterfly settled on the masked man's gloved palm and was crushed. Then it dawned on her; "y-you killed him" she squeaked. "Worth it." Came the cold reply.

Ladybug was shocked. This man had just killed someone and he wasn't the least bit upset. "Who are you?" The heroine questioned. The masked man's response was to slip into the shadows and disappear. "Oh no you don't!" Ladybug's yo-yo pulled her onto the previously occupied roof in a blink. Giving chase to the man in the Cheshire mask proved easier said than done; he obviously knew Paris well. He led her through back streets and alleys. Jumping over roofs and balconies. He casually countered any strikes she sent at him until he jumped over a roof into an open area, where her yo-yo snagged his ankle, faster than she could blink he was falling again; a knife in his hand and the string of her yo-yo snapped. Only as the stranger crashed through the side of the louvre pyramid did she realise where they were.

Ladybug descended into the pyramid expecting the worst. She found the masked man standing in the middle of the room, people scattering away from the scene.

At some point during the chase his hood had fallen down revealing unkempt blonde hair. She started towards him, "ah, ah, ah!" He intoned, revealing a black stick of plastic capped with a red button: a cliché detonator. "The louvre at four o'clock on a Saturday evening how many people do you think are here?" The mystery man questioned. "Scratch that, doesn't matter. We both know you can save them all. But not while fighting me." He laughed. "So really if you think about it this is just a test of character." Ladybug's eyes widened "Please. Don't." If he did what Ladybug was sure he meant to do... No he was right she could save them. but he would get away. She gazed at him his blonde hair fluttering in the draft caused by the hole in the pyramid. He chuckled "One last time, eh? You and me?" Ladybug sucked in a breath "Who are you?" He stopped "I hadn't given much thought to it. Any name I give you will be empty, meaningless. With that in mind" The smile of the Cheshire cat mask seemed to grow more menacing, "you can call me Vide." As his finger bit down on the detonator button. She almost missed the whispered word as it escaped his lips. The mask's Cheshire smile never wavered as he spoke. "Cataclysm." Then, hell broke loose.

 **A/N: Good? Bad? Ugly? If you liked it please review. Your criticisms will be taken into account (or promptly ignored)**


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